Art of packing commodities in receptacles



March 14, 1939. w. F. CHRISTEL ART OF PACKING COMMODITIES IN RECEPTACLES Filed Jan. 25, 1938 INVENTO ATTORNEY 5- Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES ART or nltoxme COMMODITIES IN nncnr'rncms William F. Christel, Valders, Wis.,

assignor to Hansen Canning Machinery Corporation, Cedarburg, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 25, 1938, Serial No. 186,832 10 Claims. (Cl. 226-96) The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of packing commodities in receptacles such astin cans or jars, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of can filling machines of 'the so-called semi-automatic type especially adapted to deliver batches of fruit or vegetables to a succession of open topped receptacles.

Generally defined, an object of my invention is to provide an improved can filling machine which is simple and compact in construction, and which is moreover highly emcient in operation.

It has heretofore been common practice to utilize so-called hand-pack or semi-automatic fillers for the purpose of delivering certain commodities such as relatively pulpy or granular fruits or vegetables to a succession of open topped receptacles being advanced about an axis. In

these machines, the receptacles, usually tin cans, are automatically advanced in succession about an axis and beneath feed openings formed in the peripheral portion of a relatively large revolving horizontal dished plate, and the commodity is ordinarily delivered by gravity from a stationary hopper through the plate openings and into the advancing cans, the excess commodity being either swept ofi by a pivoted flap, or by hand into the dished central portion of the plate. In

order to insure uniform fill when operating these prior machines in the manner just described, it has heretofore been necessary to provide a relatively large number of attendants who would watch the cans after leaving the zone of the hopper, and would properly fill under-loaded cans with commodity scooped from within the dished disk. Aside from the added cost resulting from the provision of these attendants, the prior methods of operation were unsanitary and unreliable,

and the machines could not be efiectlvely employed to pack various commodities such as shrimp, oysters and some fruits and vegetables. 7

The prior machines also lacked adequate capacity and were difiicult to utilize when it became de sirable to add liquid to the cans or receptacles before final sealing.

It is therefore a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved receptacle filler of the above described general type, wherein the objectionable features are eliminated and which is most effectively operable with minimum attention to properly load the successive cans at relatively high speed.

Another specific object of my invention is the provision of a new and useful hopper and feed assemblage which will insure rapid and effective filling of successive receptacles passing beneath the hopper outlet.

A further specific object of this invention is the provision of improved accessories or attach- 5 ments for converting an ordinary hand-pack orsemi-automatic filler assemblage, into a. substantially automatic machine. wherein the human handling of the commodity is substantially obviated. 10

Still another specific object of my invention is to provide an improved machine for filling cans or jars with various pulpy or granular materials, wherein each can is properly filled, in which liquid may be readily added to each batch of com- 15 modity before delivery thereof from the machine, and wherein waste of material is eliminated.

An additional specific object of the present in ventlon is the provision of improved instrumentalities for effecting gravity feeding of bulk ma- 2o terial from a stationary supply hopper to receptacles travelling therebeneath, in a most efficient manner and at comparatively high speed.

These and other specific objects and advantages resulting from the use of the present in- 25 ventlon, will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the present invention, and-of the mode of constructing and of operating can filling machines built 30 in accordance with the improvement, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views. 5

' Fig. 1 is a top view of one of my improved receptacle filling machines devoid of cans, portions of the structure having been broken away to reveal normally concealed parts;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the 40 machine of Fig. 1, taken along the line 2-2, and showing several cans in place; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the leveling rotor, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 45

While my invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically embodied in a particular type of semi-automatic can filling machine especially adapted to handle fruits, vegetables or the like, it is not intended to thereby 5o unnecessarily restrict the scope, since some of the improved features may be susceptible of more general use.

Referring to the drawing, the semi-automatic can filling machine illustrated therein com- 55 prises in general, a main frame 8 having a circular can support 8 fixedly mounted upon its upper end; a vertical sleeve I journalled for rotation in the central portions of the frame and support 8 and upon a central shaft I, and having an annular series of can hooks 8 and a dished plate 9 secured to the extreme upper end thereof; and arcuate can guide I0 mounted upon the can support 8 and cooperating with the hooks 8 to conduct the successive open topped cans II about the axis of the sleeve I and shaft 1' in vertical alinement with the successive feed openings I2 formed in the peripheral portion of the disk or plate 9; a can feed rotor I3 cooperating with a can chute I4 at one side of the support Iiv to deliver the empty cans I l to the can hooks 8 within the guide I0 in upright position; a can discharge disk I5 and guides I8, I! for delivering the commodity laden cans II from the support 6, hooks 8 and guide I0 adjacent to one side of the can supply mechanism; a stationary commodity supply hopper I8 adjustably secured to the can support 8 near the opposite side of the can supply mechanism, and having an elongated lower discharge opening I9 extending along the path of travel of the openings I2; a helical rotary commodity distributing element or screw 20 revolvable within the discharge opening I9 of the hopper I8; a leveling rotor 2| revolvably supported diagonally across the path of travel of the cans II beyond the hopper I8 and having pliable blades 22 which are cooperable with the plate 9 at the openings I9; a liquid supply rotor 23 rotatably journalled near the periphery of the dish plate 9 and at the side thereof opposite to the hopper I8; and mechanism for normally imparting motion to the various movable parts of the machine.

The frame 5, can support 8, can hooks 8 and upper plate 9 are of well known construction, and the central sleeve 1 is vertically adjustable relative to the frame 5 and support 8 so as to vary the position of the can hooks 8 and plate 9 and to thereby accommodate cans II of various heights. The top plate 9 is dished downwardly within the annular series of openings I2 for the reception of excess commodity removed by the rotor 2|, and the portion of the plate 9 located outwardly beyond the openings I2 is formed as an upwardly projecting inclined rim 24. Each of the openings I2 is preferably provided with a depending annular apron adapted to project downwardly toward the open top of the adjacent cans II, and the can hooks 8 are so formed that they will transport the cans in direct vertical alinement with the openings I2 and their aprons. The can feed and discharge mechanisms are also of well known construction, and normally function to deliver the successive cans II in upright position to and from the support 8, can hooks 8 and guide Ill beneath the dished plate 9.

The construction and formation of the commodity supply hopper I8 is an important feature of the present invention, and it is to be noted that the lower hopper discharge opening I9 is of sufficient length to simultaneously expose at least three of the openings l2 and cans II to the hopper interior. The helical commodity distributing element 20 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 25 which is journalled in the hopper sup porting bracket 28; and this element 20 is of increasing diameter in the direction of advancement of the openings I2 and cans II, but is rotatable in such direction that the helical flight will urge the commodity along the opening l9 in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement of the openings I2 and of the cans II. The lower portion of the'hopper 8 at-the end of the opening I9 adjoining the largest diameter of the screw element 29, is provided with a pivotally suspended material retarding and leveling flap 21 which coacts with the upper surface of the plate 9 adjacent the openings I2 so as to prevent free escape of the commodity from within the hopper. The hopper feed assembly is obviously such that the commodity is well agitated and is given ample time to gravitate into the successive cans II, but i is not permitted to escape into the dished central portion of the plate 9 unless the material is extremely fluent, in which case the lower end of the hopper I8 may be provided with a sealing apron surrounding theopening I9 and slidably engaging the topsuri'ace of the plate 9, in addition to being located in close proximity to this plate as shown in Fig. 2.

The formation and disposition of the leveling rotor 2| is also relatively important, and is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The rotor 2| is rotatably supported by a horizontal shaft 28 which is journalled in brackets 29 secured to the hopper supporting bracket 29, and the shaft 29 is adapted to be rotated from the end of the screw element shaft 28 through bevel gearing 39. The pliable blades 22 of the rotor 2| may be formed of soft rubber or the like, and are of such width that they will brush over the upper surface of the revolving plate 9 and across the advancing openings I2 during normal operation of the machine. By virtue of the diagonal disposition of the rotor 2| and its shaft 28, and due to the fact that the blades 22 wipe in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the plate 9 and inwardly toward its axis of rotation, any excess commodity which projects upwardly through the advancing openings I2 will naturally be brushed gently into the dish at the center of the plate 9.

When it is desired to add liquid such as brine or syrup to the successive commodity laden cans II before they leave the machine, a liquid supply rotor 23 of the improved type may be utilized. This rotor 23 has its hub freely revolvable about a cylindrical hollow casing 3| provided with a downwardly directed liquid discharge port 32, the casing 3| being clamped to a bracket 33 which is vertically adjustable along parallel upright pins 34 secured to the fixed can support 8. The casing 3| is adapted to be supplied with liquid through a pipe 38 having a control valve 38 therein, and the radial arms of the rotor 23 are provided with liquid discharge passages 31 which extend through actuating heads 38 at the outer ends of the arms, and are also adapted to communicate in succession with the lower casing port 32. The assemblage is such that the heads 38 will enter the successive plate openings I2 during revolution of the plate 9, thus constantly revolving the rotor 23 about the casing 3|; and as the successive passages 31 are brought into communication with the port 32, liquid is discharged into the can ll disposed beneath the corresponding opening I2.

The mechanism for driving the various movable parts of the improved can fliling'machine is best shown in Fig. 1, and comprises a power shaft 39 journalled in the main frame 5 and having a driving pulley 40 and a control clutch 4| associated therewith; a countershaft 42 also journalled in the main frame 5 beneath the can support 8 and being drivingly connected to the inner end of the power shaft 39 by means of bevel gearing l3; worm gearing 44 connecting one end of the shaft 42 with the vertical sleeve 1., and other worm gearing 45 connecting the discharge disk I 5 with the opposite end of the countershaft 42; and a flexible cable 46 drivingly connecting the end of the countershaft 42 adjacent the gearing 44 with the end of the screw supporting shaft 25 remote from the gearing 30. The can feed rotor I3 is mounted directly upon and is rotatable by the power shaft 42, and the various sets of motion transmitting gearing are so constructed that the successive cans II will be fed to, through and from the machine without interference and without obstruction of any kind.

As previously indicated, the plate 3 and hopper l8 as well as the rotors 2|,- 23 are vertically adjustable so as to accommodate cans H of various heights and to insure proper cooperation of these elements with adjacent structure, and the mechanism for effecting the several adjustments should beobvious from the drawing.

While thenormal operation of the improved can filling maehine should be clearly apparent from the foregoing detailed description, I shall give a short review thereof. When the clutch has been thrown in to drivingly connect the pulley 40 and power shaft 39, and the pulley 40 is being driven, motion is imparted from the shaft 39 directly to the can feed |3 and throughthe gearing 431 to the countershaft 42, from whence, rotary motion is transmitted through the gearing 44 to the sleeve 1, through the gearing 45 to the discharge disk [5, and through the cable 46 to the shaft 25. The rotation of the sleeve 1 is imparted to the can hooks 8 and to the plate 9, and from the plate 9 to .the liquid supply rotor 23; and the rotary motion of the shaft 25 is likewise imparted to the distributing screw 20 and through the gearing 30 to the leveling rotor 2 I. The hopper'lB should then be su'pplied with commodity and the liquid control valve 36 should be properly set, whereupon the successive cans delivered to the machine by the chute I4 and rotor l3 will be carried 'by the can hooks 8 along the support 6 and guide l0 beneath the successive openings |2 in the plate 9. As the cans pass beneath the hopper discharge opening |9 they are filled with commodity which is well agitated and effectively distributed throughout the entire opening l9 by the revolving screw element 20. As the filled cans leave the hopper opening IS, the pivoted flap 21 cuts off the delivery of material, and the blades 22 of the rotor 2| thereafter quickly remove excess commodity and deliver the same into the receptacle at the center of the plate 9. While the commodity laden cans H are being transported from the rotor 2| to the liquid supply rotor 23, the single attendant stationed beside the machine, will remove other excess material from overloaded cans H and will deposit such material upon the plate 9, or will utilize the same as well as other material-derived from the plate center or from the hopper I8, to properly fill underloaded cans. As the successive properly filled cans I I are subsequently conveyed beneath the revolving rotor 23, each can is finally supplied with liquid, and the-finally filled cans II are thereafter removed from the machine by the discharge disk I5 cooperating with the guides l6, II. It will thus be noted that the successive cans H are quickly and effectively filled with minimum attention and without damaging the same.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved semi-automatic can filling machine which is simple, compact and durable in construction, and which is moreover highly efficient in operation. The improved hopper construction with its elongated discharge opening I9 and with the distributing screw element 20 disposed within the discharge opening, insures most effective and proper filling of the successive receptacles with commodity. The rotation of the screw element 20 in a directionwhich tends to urge the commodity against the direction of advancement of the cans improves the filling action, and each of the receptacles is subjected to this filling action for a relatively long period of time. The leveling rotor 2| with its flexible blades 22, serves to initially remove excess material from the successive cans II, and to deliver this excess material into the center of the dished plate 9. The number of attendants may therefore be reduced to a minimum, since the rotor 2| performs the duty heretofore performed by additional attendants, and when the cans are to be supplied with liquid as well as with solid commodity, the rotor 23 will effectively perform the function of supplying liquid to the successive cans. The invention has been found extremely practical in actual commercial use, and has proven far superior to prior machines of the same general type and has enabled vast increase in the capacity of such machine.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the present invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of operation, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In combination, an upright hopper having a constricted lower commodity discharge opening, a plate having a series of openings moveable directly beneath said hopper discharge opening,

means for advancing receptacles beneath said plate and in direct communication with said hopper through said openings, and a revolving screw disposed within said hopper discharge opening and extending approximately parallel to said plate.

2. In combination, an upright hopper having a constricted lower commodity discharge opening, a plate having a series of openings moveable directly beneath said hopper discharge opening, means for advancing receptacles beneath said plate and in direct communication with said hopper through said openings, and a revolving screw disposed within said hopper discharge opening, said screw being rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis closely adjacent to said plate and being formed to urge the commodity gravitating through said hopper opening in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said plate openings.

3. In combination, an upright hopper having a constricted lower commodity discharge opening, a plate having a series of openings more than one of which is at all times exposed to said hopper opening and which are moveable directly beneath said hopper discharge opening, means for advancing receptacles beneath said plate and in one of which is at all times exposed to said hopper opening and which are movable directly beneath said hopper discharge opening, means for advancingreceptacles beneath said plate and in direct communication with said hopper through said openings, and a revolving screw disposed within said hopper discharge opening, said screw being rotatable abou a substantially horizontal axis and extending across more than one of said plate openings and being formed to urge the ommodity gravitating through said hopper opening in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said plate openings.

5. In combination, a hopper having a lower discharge opening, means for advancing receptacles in succession beneath said opening, said opening being of suflicient length so that more than one of said receptacles are exposed thereto at all times, and a rotary screw of diminishing diameter from one end to the other rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis within said opening.

6. In combination, a hopper having a lower discharge opening, means for advancing receptacles in succession beneath said opening, said opening being of sumcient length so that more than one of said receptacles are exposed thereto at all times, and a rotary screw of diminishing diameter from one end to the other rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis within said opening, said screw being rotatable to urge the commodity passing through-said opening in a direction opposed to the direction of advancement of said receptacles.

7. In combination, a hopper having a commodity discharge opening, a centrally dished plate having spaced openings movable past said opening, means for advancing receptacles in succession past said hopper opening with said plate openings, and a member having blades movable across said plate openings transversely of the direction of advancement thereof to remove excess commodity from said receptacles and todeliver said excess toward the dished center of said plate.

8. In combination, a hopper having a commodity discharge opening, a centrally dished plate having spaced peripheral openings movable past said opening, means for advancing receptacles in succession past said hopper opening with said plate openings, and a rotor revolvable about an axis substantially parallel to said plate and having pliable blades adapted to sweep across said plate openings to remove excess material after said receptacles have been advanced out of communication with said hopper opening and to delilver said excess toward the dished center of said p ate.

9. In combination, a hopper having a commodity discharge opening, a centrally dished plate having spaced peripheral openings movable past said opening, means for advancing receptacles in succession past said hopper opening with said plate openings, and a rotor revolvable about an axis substantially parallel to said plate and having pliable blades adapted to sweep across said plate openings to remove excess material after said receptacles have been advanced out of communication with said hopper opening, said blades being movable over said plate in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement of said plate openings and receptacles and in a manner to deliver said excess material toward the dished center of said plate.

10. In combination, a plate having an annular series of through openings revolvable about an axis, means for advancing receptacles in succession beneath said plate openings, and a liquid supply rotor having radial arms revolvable about an axis substantially parallel to said plate and having a series of liquid supply passages piercing said arms and successively communicable with said receptacles through said openings, said rotor arms having headed ends operable by direct contact with said plate openings.

WILLIAM F. CHRISTEL. 

